Method of forming a field effect transistor

ABSTRACT

A method of forming a field effect transistor comprises providing a substrate comprising a biaxially strained layer of a semiconductor material. A gate electrode is formed on the biaxially strained layer of semiconductor material. A raised source region and a raised drain region are formed adjacent the gate electrode. Ions of a dopant material are implanted into the raised source region and the raised drain region to form an extended source region and an extended drain region. Moreover, in methods of forming a field effect transistor according to embodiments of the present invention, a gate electrode can be formed in a recess of a layer of semiconductor material. Thus, a field effect transistor wherein a source side channel contact region and a drain side channel contact region located adjacent a channel region are subject to biaxial strain can be obtained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to the formation of integratedcircuits, and, more particularly, to the formation of field effecttransistors having a channel region with a specified intrinsic stress toimprove the charge carrier mobility.

2. Description of the Related Art

Integrated circuits comprise a large number of individual circuitelements, such as transistors, capacitors and resistors. These elementsare connected internally to form complex circuits, such as memorydevices, logic devices and microprocessors. The performance ofintegrated circuits can be improved by increasing the number offunctional elements in the circuit in order to increase theirfunctionality and/or by increasing the speed of operation of the circuitelements. A reduction of feature sizes allows the formation of a greaternumber of circuit elements on the same area, hence allowing an extensionof the functionality of the circuit, and also reduces signal propagationdelays, thus making an increase of the speed of operation of circuitelements possible.

Field effect transistors are used as switching elements in integratedcircuits. They allow control of a current flowing through a channelregion located between a source region and a drain region. The sourceregion and the drain region are highly doped. In N-type transistors, thesource and drain regions are doped with an N-type dopant. Conversely, inP-type transistors, the source and drain regions are doped with a P-typedopant. The doping of the channel region is inverse to the doping of thesource region and the drain region. The conductivity of the channelregion is controlled by a gate voltage applied to a gate electrodeformed above the channel region and separated therefrom by a thininsulating layer. Depending on the gate voltage, the channel region maybe switched between a conductive “on” state and a substantiallynon-conductive “off” state.

When reducing the size of field effect transistors, it is important tomaintain a high conductivity of the channel region in the “on” state.The conductivity of the channel region in the “on” state depends on thedopant concentration in the channel region, the mobility of the chargecarriers, the extension of the channel region in the width direction ofthe transistor and the distance between the source region and the drainregion, which is commonly denoted as “channel length.” While a reductionof the width of the channel region leads to a decrease of the channelconductivity, a reduction of the channel length enhances the channelconductivity. An increase of the charge carrier mobility leads to anincrease of the channel conductivity.

As feature sizes are reduced, the extension of the channel region in thewidth direction is also reduced. A reduction of the channel lengthentails a plurality of issues associated therewith. First, advancedtechniques of photolithography and etching have to be provided in orderto reliably and reproducibly create transistors having short channellengths. Moreover, highly sophisticated dopant profiles, in the verticaldirection as well as in the lateral direction, are required in thesource region and in the drain region in order to provide a low sheetresistivity and a low contact resistivity in combination with a desiredchannel controllability.

In view of the problems associated with a further reduction of thechannel length, it has been proposed to also enhance the performance offield effect transistors by increasing the charge carrier mobility inthe channel region. In principle, at least two approaches may be used toincrease the charge carrier mobility.

First, the dopant concentration in the channel region may be reduced.Thus, the probability of scattering events of charge carriers in thechannel region is reduced, which leads to an increase of theconductivity of the channel region. Reducing the dopant concentration inthe channel region, however, significantly affects the threshold voltageof the transistor device. This makes the reduction of dopantconcentration a less attractive approach.

Second, the lattice structure in the channel region may be modified bycreating tensile or compressive strain. This leads to a modifiedmobility of electrons and holes, respectively. Depending on themagnitude of the strain, a biaxial tensile strain may increase themobility of electrons in a silicon layer on an insulating substrate or asubstrate comprising an insulating layer provided under the siliconlayer by up to 300%, and may also increase the hole mobility when abovea 30% SiGe equivalent level. The mobility of holes may also be increasedby providing a silicon layer having a compressive strain.

A method of forming a filed effect transistor wherein the channel regionis formed in a strained silicon layer provided on an insulating layerwill be described in the following with reference to FIGS. 1 a-1 f.

FIG. 1 a shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductorstructure 100 in a first stage of the prior art manufacturing process. Asubstrate 101, which may, for example, comprise a silicon wafer, isprovided. On the substrate, a layer 102 of an insulating material isformed, for example by means of known methods of deposition and/oroxidation. In some examples of prior art processes, the layer 102 ofinsulating material may comprise silicon dioxide.

In addition to the substrate 101, an auxiliary substrate 103, which isshown in FIG. 1 b, is provided. On the auxiliary substrate 103, astrain-creating layer 104 and a layer 105 of a semiconductor materialare formed. This may be done by means of known deposition techniquessuch as chemical vapor deposition and/or plasma enhanced chemical vapordeposition. The layer 105 of semiconductor material may comprisesilicon.

The strain-creating layer 104 comprises a material having a latticeconstant other than the lattice constant of the semiconductor material105. When the semiconductor material of the layer 105 is deposited onthe strain-creating layer 104, the crystalline structure of thesemiconductor material 105 is influenced by the crystal lattice of thestrain-creating layer 104. Thus, a global biaxial strain can be createdin the layer 105 of semiconductor material.

If the lattice constant of the material of the strain-creating layer 104is greater than the lattice constant which the semiconductor material ofthe layer 105 adopts in a bulk crystal, the atoms in the layer 105arrange at a greater distance than in a bulk crystal of thesemiconductor material. Thus, the layer 105 of semiconductor materialcomprises a tensile strain. Conversely, if the lattice constant of thematerial of the strain-creating layer 104 is smaller than that of thesemiconductor material of layer 105 in a bulk crystal, the layer 105 ofsemiconductor material is formed with an intrinsic compressive strain.In examples of prior art processes wherein the layer 105 ofsemiconductor material comprises silicon, a strain-creating layer 104comprising an alloy of silicon and germanium may be used to create atensile strain. In order to create a compressive strain in the layer 105when comprising silicon, the strain-creating layer 104 may be made of analloy of silicon and carbon.

The auxiliary substrate 103 is bonded to the substrate 101. To this end,the auxiliary substrate 103 and the substrate 101 are arranged such thatthe layer 105 of semiconductor material and the layer 102 of insulatingmaterial contact each other, as shown in FIG. 1 c. Then, a known bondingtechnique, such as anodic bonding, is employed to fix the layer 105 ofsemiconductor material to the layer 102 of insulating material.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure 100 in alater stage of the manufacturing process according to the state of theart is shown in FIG. 1 d. The auxiliary substrate 103 and thestrain-creating layer 104 are removed, for example by means of grinding,etching or delamination. Then, the substrate 101 comprises on itssurface the layer 105 of semiconductor material over the layer 102 ofinsulating material. The biaxial strain in the layer 105 ofsemiconductor material, which has been induced by the presence of thestrain-creating layer 104 in the formation of the layer 105, issubstantially preserved after the removal of the strain-creating layer104. Therefore, the layer 105 of semiconductor material still comprisesa biaxial strain.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure 100 in afurther stage of the manufacturing process according to the state of theart is shown in FIG. 1 e. Shallow trench isolations 106, 107 which maybe part of one continuous trench isolation structure are formed in thelayer 105 of semiconductor material. The shallow trench isolations 106,107 and the layer 102 of insulating material insulate a portion of thelayer 105 of semiconductor material from the rest of the layer 105.Then, an active region 181 is created in the region between the shallowtrench isolations 106, 107, for example by means of a known ionimplantation process, wherein ions of a dopant material are introducedinto the layer 105 of semiconductor material.

Subsequently, a gate electrode 109, which is separated from the activeregion 181 by a gate insulation layer 108, is formed over the activeregion. In the formation of the gate electrode 109 and the gateinsulation layer 108, as well as in the formation of the shallow trenchisolations 106, 107, techniques known to persons skilled in the art,such as advanced methods of deposition, photolithography, etching andoxidation, may be employed.

After the formation of the gate electrode 109, the semiconductorstructure 100 is irradiated with ions 110 of a dopant material, whichare indicated by arrows in FIG. 1 e. The ions impinge on the layer 105of semiconductor material and penetrate the layer 105 of semiconductormaterial. Thus, dopant material is introduced into the layer 105 ofsemiconductor material to form an extended source region 111 and anextended drain region 112. The gate electrode 109 absorbs ions impingingthereon such that substantially no dopant material is introduced into achannel region 123 below the gate electrode 109. The impact of the ionsremoves atoms of the semiconductor material in the layer 105 from theirsites in the strained crystal lattice. At typical ion doses used inadvanced methods of manufacturing a field effect transistor, thesemiconductor material in the extended source region 111 and theextended drain region 112 is amorphized.

A further stage of the manufacturing process according to the state ofthe art is shown in FIG. 1 f. Sidewall spacers 119, 120 are formedadjacent the gate electrode 109, which may be done by means ofwell-known methods comprising an isotropic deposition of a layer of asidewall spacer material and an anisotropic etching process. Then, afurther ion implantation, as indicated by arrows 190 in FIG. 1 f, isperformed to create a source region 113 and a drain region 114. Similarto the formation of the extended source region 111 and the extendeddrain region 112, the ion implantation into the source region 113 andthe drain region 114 may lead to an amorphization of the semiconductormaterial 105. Finally, an annealing process may be performed tore-crystallize the semiconductor material 105 in the source region 113,the drain region 114, the extended source region 111 and the extendeddrain region 112.

A problem of the method of forming a field effect transistor accordingto the state of the art is that the strain-induced enhancement of themobility of electrons and/or holes in the channel region issignificantly reduced at short channel lengths. While in transistorshaving a relatively large channel length considerably greater than about50 nm or more, an increase of the drive current by up to 100% may beobtained, in transistors having a relatively short channel length ofabout 50 nm or less, only an increase of the transistor drive current ofabout 5-10% is observed.

The present invention is directed to various methods and systems thatmay solve, or at least reduce, some or all of the aforementionedproblems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order toprovide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. Thissummary is not an exhaustive overview of the invention. It is notintended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or todelineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to presentsome concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription that is discussed later.

According to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, amethod of forming a field effect transistor comprises providing asubstrate comprising a biaxially strained layer of a semiconductormaterial. A gate electrode is formed on the biaxially strained layer ofsemiconductor material. A raised source region and a raised drain regionare formed adjacent the gate electrode. Ions of a dopant material areimplanted into the raised source region and the raised drain region toform an extended source region and an extended drain region.

According to another illustrative embodiment of the present invention, amethod of forming a field effect transistor comprises providing asubstrate comprising a layer of a semiconductor material. A mask havingan opening is formed on the layer of semiconductor material. A recess isformed in a portion of the layer of semiconductor material exposed at abottom of the opening. On the exposed portion of the layer ofsemiconductor material, a layer of an insulating material is formed. Theopening is filled with a gate electrode material. The mask isselectively removed, wherein at least a portion of the gate electrodematerial in the opening remains on the substrate to form a gateelectrode.

According to yet another illustrative embodiment of the presentinvention, a semiconductor structure comprises a substrate comprising alayer of a semiconductor material having a biaxial strain and beingformed on a layer of an insulating material. A gate electrode is formedover the layer of semiconductor material and a raised source region anda raised drain region are formed adjacent the gate electrode. A sourceside channel contact region and a drain side channel contact regionlocated adjacent a channel region are subject to the biaxial strain, thechannel region being located below the gate electrode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIGS. 1 a-1 f show schematic cross-sectional views of a semiconductorstructure in stages of a manufacturing process according to the state ofthe art;

FIGS. 2 a-2 c show schematic cross-sectional views of a semiconductorstructure in stages of a manufacturing process according to anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 3 a-3 d show schematic cross-sectional views of a semiconductorstructure in stages of a manufacturing process according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by wayof example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It shouldbe understood, however, that the description herein of specificembodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particularforms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover allmodifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In theinterest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation aredescribed in this specification. It will of course be appreciated thatin the development of any such actual embodiment, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effortmight be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routineundertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit ofthis disclosure.

The present invention will now be described with reference to theattached figures. Various structures, systems and devices areschematically depicted in the drawings for purposes of explanation onlyand so as to not obscure the present invention with details that arewell known to those skilled in the art. Nevertheless, the attacheddrawings are included to describe and explain illustrative examples ofthe present invention. The words and phrases used herein should beunderstood and interpreted to have a meaning consistent with theunderstanding of those words and phrases by those skilled in therelevant art. No special definition of a term or phrase, i.e., adefinition that is different from the ordinary and customary meaning asunderstood by those skilled in the art, is intended to be implied byconsistent usage of the term or phrase herein. To the extent that a termor phrase is intended to have a special meaning, i.e., a meaning otherthan that understood by skilled artisans, such a special definition willbe expressly set forth in the specification in a definitional mannerthat directly and unequivocally provides the special definition for theterm or phrase.

The present invention is generally based on the realization that theloss of charge carrier mobility in the channel region of a field effecttransistor formed by means of the method according to the state of theart described above with reference to FIGS. 1 a-1 f may be caused by arelaxation of the biaxial stress in the layer 105 of semiconductormaterial which is induced by the amorphization of the semiconductormaterial occurring in the form ation of the source extension 111 and thedrain extension 112.

During the formation of the source extension 111 and the drain extension112, a portion of the ions 110 impinges in the vicinity of the channelregion 123 below the gate electrode and pushes atoms away from theirsites. Thus, the order of the strained crystal lattice of the layer 105of semiconductor material is destroyed and the atoms arrange in anamorphous configuration. Thereby, an at least partial relaxation of thebiaxial strain occurs. Such relaxation may occur not only in the sourceextension 111 and the drain extension 112 which are amorphized but alsoin the vicinity thereof. Similarly, in the formation of the shallowtrench isolations 106, 107, the strain in portions of the layer 105 inthe vicinity thereof may relax at least partially.

In field effect transistors having a large channel length ofconsiderably more than about 50 nm, the at least partial relaxation ofstrain occurs only in a small portion of the channel region 123. Inadvanced field effect transistors having a channel length of about 50 nmor less, however, those portions of the layer 105 of semiconductormaterial wherein the biaxial strain is relaxed at least partially maycomprise a significant portion of the channel region 181, which can leadto the experimentally observed lower charge carrier mobility in suchtransistors.

In embodiments of the present invention, a source side channel contactregion and a drain side channel contact region located adjacent achannel region of a field effect transistor are subject to a biaxialstrain of a layer of semiconductor material wherein the channel regionand the channel contact regions are formed. Hence, the biaxial strain isprovided all around the channel region, such that substantially norelaxation of strain may occur in the channel region. Thus, a reductionof the charge carrier mobility in the channel region may besubstantially avoided.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a raised sourceregion and a raised drain region are formed in the vicinity of the gateelectrode of the field effect transistor. In the formation of a sourceextension and a drain extension of the transistor, ions of a dopantmaterial are implanted into the raised source region and the raiseddrain region. Thus, an amorphization of the source side channel contactregion and the drain side channel contact region and a relaxation of thebiaxial strain induced thereby may be substantially avoided. Thus, thebiaxial strain in the channel contact regions may be maintained.Thereafter, an annealing process may be performed. In the annealingprocess, the dopant material may diffuse into the channel contactregions. Since the diffusion of the dopant material can occur withoutthere being a relaxation of strain, the channel contact regions canremain subject to the biaxial strain.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the gate electrode of thefield effect transistor can be formed in a recess of a layer ofsemiconductor material. Thus, the channel region of the field effecttransistor which is located below the gate electrode is lowered relativeto the surface of the layer of semiconductor material in and on whichthe field effect transistor is formed. Thus, an amorphization and acorresponding relaxation of strain in the vicinity of the channel regionmay also be substantially avoided when an ion implantation is performedto form the extended source region and the extended drain region.

In the following, further embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 2 a-2 c. FIG. 2 a shows a schematiccross-sectional view of a semiconductor structure 200 in a first stageof a manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. The semiconductor structure comprises a substrate 201. Thesubstrate 201 comprises a layer 202 of an insulating material and alayer 205 of a semiconductor material formed on the layer 202. In thelayer 205 of semiconductor material, shallow trench isolations 206, 207are formed which, together with the layer 202 of insulating material,provide electrical insulation between an active region 281 of a fieldeffect transistor 280 and other portions of the semiconductor structure200. The layer 205 of semiconductor material may be biaxially strained.Over the active region 281, a gate electrode 209 is formed. A gateinsulation layer 208 provides electrical insulation between the gateelectrode 209 and the active region 281. The gate electrode 209 isflanked by offset spacers 210, 211 and covered by a cap layer 212.

Similar to the formation of the semiconductor structure 100 by means ofthe prior art method described above with reference to FIGS. 1 a-1 f,the formation of the substrate 201 can comprise providing an auxiliarysubstrate (not shown) on which the layer 205 is formed over astrain-creating layer (not shown). Thus, the layer 205 comprises abiaxial strain.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the layer 205 ofsemiconductor material can comprise silicon. In such embodiments, astrain-creating layer comprising an alloy of silicon and germanium maybe used to create a biaxial tensile strain in the layer 205, whereas astrain-creating layer comprising an alloy of silicon and carbon can beused to create a biaxial compressive strain in the layer 205.

The layer 202 of insulating material is formed on the substrate 201.Thereafter, the auxiliary substrate is bonded to the substrate 201,wherein the layer 205 of semiconductor material contacts the layer 202of insulating material. This may be done by means of a bonding processknown to persons skilled in the art. Then, the auxiliary substrate andthe strain-creating layer are removed by means of known methods suchthat the layer 205 of semiconductor material is exposed on the surfaceof the substrate 201. Similar to the method according to the state ofthe art described above, the biaxial strain in the layer 205 ismaintained after the removal of the auxiliary substrate and thestrain-creating layer.

The shallow trench isolations 206, 207 can be formed by means of knownadvanced methods of photolithography, etching, deposition and/oroxidation. In the formation of the active region 281, which may beperformed after the formation of the shallow trench isolations 206, 207,an ion implantation may be performed to introduce a dopant material intothe layer 205 of semiconductor material. Thereafter, the gate insulationlayer 208, the gate electrode 209, the offset spacers 210, 211 and thecap layer 212 can be formed using known methods of photolithography,etching, deposition and/or oxidation.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the shallow trenchisolations 206, 207, the offset spacers 210, 211 and the cap layer 212can comprise silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and/or silicon oxynitride.The gate electrode 209 can comprise polysilicon.

A raised source region 213 and a raised drain region 214 are formedadjacent the gate electrode 209. This can be done by means of selectiveepitaxial growth. Selective epitaxial growth is a variant of plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition wherein a layer of material isdeposited only over exposed portions of the layer 205 of semiconductormaterial, whereas there is no deposition in portions of thesemiconductor structure 200 comprising other materials than thesemiconductor material of the layer 205.

In plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, which is a process wellknown to persons skilled in the art, the semiconductor structure 200 isinserted into a reactor. Reactant gases are supplied to the reactor. Aradio frequency electric voltage and/or a DC bias voltage are applied tothe reactant gases and/or the semiconductor structure 200 to induce aglow discharge wherein reactive precursors are formed from the reactantgases. At the surface of the semiconductor structure 200 and/or in thevicinity thereof, the reactive precursors and/or the reactant gasesreact chemically with each other. In this chemical reaction, a materialis formed which is then deposited on the semiconductor structure 200.Products of the chemical reaction other than the deposited material areremoved from the reactor.

The properties of the material layer deposited in plasma enhancedchemical vapor deposition is influenced by parameters such astemperature, pressure, composition of the reactant gas, as well as theelectric power supplied via the radio frequency electric voltage and/orthe DC bias voltage. In selective epitaxial growth performed in theformation of the raised source region 213 and the raised drain region214, these parameters are adapted such that material deposition occurssubstantially only on portions of the semiconductor structure 200wherein the semiconductor material of the layer 205 is exposed. Thedeposited material adapts to the crystal structure of the layer 205 ofsemiconductor material. Thus, epitaxial growth is obtained.

In embodiments of the present invention wherein the layer 205 ofsemiconductor material comprises silicon and the shallow trenchisolations 206, 207, as well as the cap layer 212 and the offset spacers210, 211, comprise silicon dioxide and/or silicon nitride, the selectiveepitaxial growth process may be adapted to selectively deposit siliconon portions of the layer 205 of semiconductor material exposed adjacentthe gate electrode 209.

In such embodiments, SiCl₄ and H₂ can be used as reactants. At growthtemperature, these reactants react to silicon and hydrochloric acid. Thereaction can proceed in both directions. The etching created in theback-reaction is important in the inhibition of silicon growth on theshallow trench isolations 206, 207 and the cap layer 212 as well as theoffset spacers 210, 211.

After the formation of the raised source region 213 and the raised drainregion 214, an ion implantation can be performed wherein a beamcomprising ions 220 of a dopant material is directed to thesemiconductor structure 200. The ions 220 impinge on the surface of thesemiconductor structure 200, in particular on the surface of the raisedsource region 213 and the raised drain region 214. The ions have a speedrelative to the raised source region 213 and the raised drain region 214which depends on the energy of the ions 220. The energy of the ions 220may be controlled by controlling a voltage which is used to acceleratethe ions 220. At least a portion of the ions 220 penetrates the raisedsource region 213 and the raised drain region 214 and interacts withatoms in the raised source region 213 and the raised drain region 214.Due to this interaction, the ions loose energy. Thus, the ions 220 aredecelerated and, finally, stopped. A penetration depth P to which theions 220 penetrate the raised source region 213 and the raised drainregion 214 depends on the energy of the ions 220 as well as the type ofions and the material properties of the raised source region 213 and theraised drain region 214. Thus, the penetration depth P may be controlledby varying one or more of these parameters. In particular, thepenetration depth can be controlled by varying the energy of the ions220. An ion dose applied in the ion implantation can be such that theraised source region 213 and the raised drain region 214 or portionsthereof are amorphized.

The penetration depth P of the ions 220 can be equal to or smaller thana depth d of the raised source region 213 and the raised drain region214. Thus, substantially no ions 220 penetrate the layer 205 ofsemiconductor material. Therefore, substantially no amorphization of thelayer 205 of semiconductor material occurs and substantially norelaxation of the biaxial strain in the layer 205 occurs. Thus, thelayer 205 of semiconductor material remains biaxially strained. Inparticular, a source side channel contact region 221 and a drain sidechannel contact region 222, which are located below the raised sourceregion 213 and the raised drain region 214, respectively, and adjacent achannel region 223 located below the gate electrode 209, remainbiaxially strained.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure 200 in afurther stage of the manufacturing process is shown in FIG. 2 b.Sidewall spacers 219, 220 are formed adjacent the gate electrode 209. Asis well known to persons skilled in the art, this can be done byisotropically depositing a layer of a sidewall spacer material over thesemiconductor structure 200 and then performing an anisotropic etchprocess adapted to selectively remove the sidewall spacer material,wherein an etch rate of substantially horizontal portions of the layerof sidewall spacer material is greater than an etch rate of inclinedportions of the layer of sidewall spacer material such as, for example,portions located at the flanks of the gate electrode 209. The etchingprocess is performed until the substantially horizontal portions of thelayer of sidewall spacer material are removed. Residues of the layer ofsidewall spacer material remaining on the semiconductor structure 200form the sidewall spacers 219, 220.

Then, a further ion implantation can be performed to form a sourceregion 217 and a drain region 218, as indicated by arrows 290 in FIG. 2b. An energy of ions impinging on the semiconductor structure 200 in theformation of the source region 217 and the drain region 218 can begreater than an energy of ions provided in the formation of the extendedsource region 215 and the extended drain region 216. Thus, the sourceregion 217 and the drain region 218 obtain a depth which is greater thanthe penetration depth P of the ions applied in the formation of theextended source region 213 and the extended drain region 214. In someembodiments of the present invention, the depth of the source region 217and the drain region 218 can be greater than the thickness d of theraised source region 213 and the raised drain region 214. Then, thesource region 217 and the drain region 218 overlap the layer 205 ofsemiconductor material.

The sidewall spacers 219, 220 absorb ions impinging thereon. Thus, thesource region 217 and the drain region 218 are spaced apart from thegate electrode 209 and the channel region 208 such that the sourceregion 217 and the drain region 218 do not overlap the source sidechannel contact region 221 and the drain side channel contact region222.

An ion dose applied in the formation of the source region 217 and thedrain region 218 may be adapted such that the material of portions ofthe raised source region 213, the raised drain region 214 and the layer205 of semiconductor material which are exposed to the bombardment ofions is at least partially amorphized. Since, however, the source region217 and the drain region 218 do not overlap the source side channelcontact region 221 and the drain side channel contact region 222, thelatter regions are not amorphized. Hence, there is no amorphization ofthe channel contact regions 221, 222 such that there is no relaxation ofstrain in the channel contact regions 221, 222. Thus, the channelcontact regions 221, 222 remain biaxially strained.

The source region 217 and the drain region 218 need not overlap thelayer 205 of semiconductor material. In other embodiments of the presentinvention, a depth of the source region 217 and the drain region 218 canbe smaller than the thickness d of the raised source region 213 and theraised drain region 214. Thus, the source region 217 and the drainregion 218 are provided in the raised source region 213 and the raiseddrain region 214, respectively.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure 200 in afurther stage of the manufacturing process is shown in FIG. 2 c. Anannealing process can be performed after the formation of the sourceregion 217 and the drain region 218. In the annealing process, thesemiconductor structure 200 is exposed to an elevated temperature for apredetermined time. The annealing process may comprise a rapid thermalannealing process known to persons skilled in the art. In otherembodiments, the annealing process can comprise inserting thesemiconductor structure 200 into a furnace.

In the annealing process, a re-crystallization of the amorphizedmaterial in the extended source region 215, the extended drain region216, the source region 217 and the drain region 218 may occur. In there-crystallization, the atoms in the amorphized regions re-arrange andassume a crystalline order. Additionally, in the annealing process, thedopant material introduced in the ion implantation is incorporated intothe crystal lattice of the semiconductor layer 205 and/or the raisedsource region 213 and the raised drain region 214 such that dopant atomsmay act as electron donors or acceptors.

Furthermore, a diffusion of dopant atoms may occur in the annealingprocess. Due to diffusion, the dopant distribution in the semiconductorstructure 200 is altered. In particular, dopant atoms may leave thoseportions of the semiconductor structure 200 which were exposed to theion bombardment in the ion implantation processes and enter neighboringportions of the semiconductor structure 200. In particular, dopant atomsmay diffuse into the source side channel contact region 221 and thedrain side channel contact region 216 adjacent the channel region 223.Thus, the extended source region 215 and the extended drain region 216,the doping of which is inverse to that of the channel region 223, maygrow until they include the source side channel contact region 221 andthe drain side channel contact region 222. Dopant diffusion, however,does not substantially alter the biaxial strain of the layer 205 ofsemiconductor material. Thus, the channel contact regions 221, 222 aredoped, but remain biaxially strained.

An annealing process adapted to induce dopant diffusion into the sourceside channel contact region 221 and the drain side channel contactregion 222 need not be performed after the formation of the sourceregion 217 and the drain region 218. In other embodiments of the presentinvention, such annealing can be performed after the formation of theextended source region 215 and the extended drain region 216. Thus, adiffusion of the dopant material introduced into the extended sourceregion 215 and the extended drain region 216 can be controlledindependently of the diffusion of the dopant material introduced intothe source region 217 and the drain region 218. Advantageously, thisallows a more precise control of the distribution of the dopantmaterial.

As detailed above, the present invention allows the formation of thefield effect transistor 280 wherein a relaxation of the biaxial strainof the layer 205 of semiconductor material in the channel region 223 andthe adjacent channel contact regions 221, 226 may be substantiallyavoided or reduced. Thus, a reduction of the charge carrier mobility inthese regions and, in particular, in the channel region 223, which iscaused by the relaxation of strain, may be reduced compared to a fieldeffect transistor formed by means of the prior art method describedabove with reference to FIGS. 1 a-1 f. Therefore, a channel conductivityof the field effect transistor 280 may be advantageously improved.

Further embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 3 a-3 d. FIG. 3 a shows a schematic cross-sectionalview of a semiconductor structure 300 in a first stage of amanufacturing process according to the present invention. Thesemiconductor structure 300 comprises a substrate 301. The substrate 301comprises a layer 302 of insulating material and a layer 305 ofsemiconductor material formed on the layer 302. In the layer 305 ofsemiconductor material, shallow trench isolations 306, 307 are formed.The layer 305 of semiconductor material can be biaxially strained.

Similar to the formation of the semiconductor structure 200 describedabove with reference to FIGS. 2 a-2 c, the layers 302, 305 and theshallow trench isolations 306, 307 can be formed by means of advancedtechniques of deposition, bonding, removal of an auxiliary substrate anda strain-creating layer, photolithography, etching, deposition and/oroxidation.

A mask 350 is formed on the layer 305 of semiconductor material. Themask 350 can comprise a dielectric material, for example silicondioxide, silicon nitride and/or silicon oxynitride. The formation of themask 350 can be performed by means of known deposition techniquescomprising chemical vapor deposition and/or plasma enhanced chemicalvapor deposition.

An opening 360 is formed in the mask 350. This can be done by means ofadvanced photolithographic techniques well known to persons skilled inthe art. The opening 360 is provided between the shallow trenchisolations 306, 307 at a location where it is planned to provide a gateelectrode of a field effect transistor to be formed in the semiconductorstructure 300.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a length of the opening360 can be reduced. To this end, a material layer 351 is deposited overthe semiconductor structure 300 by means of a known deposition process.The deposition process can be isotropic such that a thickness of thematerial layer 351 over substantially horizontal portions of the mask350 and the layer 305 of semiconductor material is substantially equalto a thickness of the material layer 351 over inclined portions of themask 350 such as the sidewalls of the opening 360, wherein the thicknessis measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface ofthe layer 351 at the respective location. The material of the layer 351can be identical to the material of the mask 350. In other embodimentsof the present invention, different materials may be used for the mask350 and the material layer 351.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure 300 in alater stage of the manufacturing process is shown in FIG. 3 b. After thedeposition of the material layer 351, an anisotropic etching process isperformed. In anisotropic etching, an etch rate of the inclined portionsof the material layer 351 is smaller than the etch rate of thesubstantially horizontal portions of the material layer 351. Thus, thehorizontal portions of the material layer 351 are removed more quicklythan the inclined portions. The etching process can be stopped as soonas the portion of the material layer 351 on the bottom of the opening360 is removed and the surface of the layer 305 of semiconductormaterial is exposed at the bottom of the opening 360. Due to theanisotropy of the etching process, portions of the material layer 351remain at the edges of the opening 360 and form spacing elements 352,353. Thus, the length of the opening is reduced by the thickness of thespacing elements 352, 353. Advantageously, the reduction of the width ofthe opening 360 allows the formation of the opening 360 with a lengthwhich is smaller than a minimum length which may be obtained by means ofphotolithographic processes. The present invention, however, is notlimited to embodiments wherein the length of the opening 360 is reduced.In other embodiments, the formation of the spacing elements 352, 353 maybe omitted.

A recess 370 is formed in a portion of the layer 305 which is exposed atthe bottom of the opening. To this end, an etching process can beperformed wherein the semiconductor structure 300 is exposed to anetchant adapted to selectively remove the material of the layer 305 ofsemiconductor material, leaving the mask 350 and the spacing elements352, 353 substantially intact. In some embodiments of the presentinvention, the etching process can be anisotropic such that a length ofthe recess 370 is substantially equal to the length of the opening 360.In other embodiments of the present invention, an isotropic etchingprocess can be performed to form the recess 370. The recess 370 can havea depth d′.

On the bottom of the recess 370, a gate insulation layer 308 is formedon the exposed portion of the layer 305 of semiconductor material whichmay be done by means of oxidation and/or deposition processes well knownto persons skilled in the art.

The opening 360 and the recess 370 are filled with a gate electrodematerial, for example, polysilicon. To this end, a layer 354 of the gateelectrode material is deposited over the semiconductor structure 300,which may be done by means of deposition processes known to personsskilled in the art. Then, the semiconductor structure 300 is planarized,which, in some embodiments of the present invention, can be done bymeans of a chemical mechanical polishing process.

In chemical mechanical polishing, the semiconductor structure 300 ismoved relative to a polishing pad. A slurry is supplied to an interfacebetween the semiconductor structure 300 and the polishing pad. Theslurry comprises a chemical compound which reacts with the material onthe surface of the semiconductor structure 300, in particular with thegate electrode material and/or the material of the mask 350 and thespacing elements 352, 353. Products of the chemical reaction are removedby means of an abrasive component in the slurry.

In the chemical mechanical polishing process, portions of the layer 354of gate electrode material located over the mask 350 are removed.Additionally, in some embodiments of the present invention, the chemicalmechanical polishing process may remove portions of the mask 350 and aportion of the gate electrode material in the opening 370. Thus, roundededges of the spacing elements 352 and/or the opening 360 at the top ofthe opening, as well as a portion of the gate electrode material in thevicinity of the top of the opening 360, having a length greater than thelength of the opening 360 at its bottom may be removed.

After the chemical mechanical polishing process, the mask 350 is exposedat the surface of the semiconductor structure 300 and the opening 360 isfilled with a plug comprising the gate electrode material.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure 300 in afurther stage of the manufacturing process is shown in FIG. 3 c. Themask 350 is removed from the semiconductor structure 300. To this end,an etching process may be performed wherein the semiconductor structure300 is exposed to an etchant adapted to selectively remove the materialof the mask 350 and the spacing elements 352, 353, leaving the gateelectrode material in the opening 360 substantially intact. Thus, theplug of gate electrode material remains on the surface of thesemiconductor structure 300 and forms a gate electrode 309 which hasbeen positioned in the recess 370 in a self-aligned manner. Hence, thebottom of the gate electrode 309 and a channel portion 323 located belowthe gate electrode 309 in the layer 305 of semiconductor material arerecessed relative to the surface of the layer 305 of semiconductormaterial by the depth d′ of the recess 370.

Similar to the embodiments of the present invention described above withreference to FIGS. 2 a-2 c, an ion implantation process may be performedwherein ions 310 of a dopant material are directed to the semiconductorstructure 300 in order to form an extended source region 315 and anextended drain region 316 adjacent the gate electrode 309. The ionimplantation process may lead to an at least partial amorphization ofthe semiconductor material of the layer 305 in the extended sourceregion 315 and the extended drain region 316. A penetration depth P ofthe ions can be smaller than the depth d′ of the recess 370. Thus, asource side channel contact region 321 and a drain side channel contactregion 322 which are located in the layer 305 of semiconductor materialadjacent the channel region 323 are not irradiated with ions. Hence, thechannel contact regions 321, 322 are not amorphized and maintain thebiaxially strained lattice structure of the layer 305 of semiconductormaterial. Hence, there is no relaxation of the strain in the channelcontact regions 321, 322 and, thus, no relaxation of the strain in theadjacent channel region 323.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structure 300 in afurther stage of the manufacturing process is shown in FIG. 3 d. Similarto the embodiments of the present invention described above withreference to FIGS. 2 a-2 c, sidewall spacers 319, 320 can be formedadjacent the gate electrode 309, and ions of a dopant material may beimplanted into the semiconductor structure 300 to form a source region317 and a drain region 318. Thereafter, an annealing process can beperformed to re-crystallize amorphized portions of the layer 305 ofsemiconductor material in the source region 317, the drain region 318,the extended source region 315 and the extended drain region 316, toactivate the dopant material introduced into the layer 305 ofsemiconductor material and to induce a diffusion of the dopant materialinto the channel contact regions 321, 322 such that the extended sourceregion 315 includes the source side channel contact region 321 and theextended drain region 316 includes the drain side channel contact region322.

The diffusion of dopant material substantially does not alter thebiaxial strain in the channel contact regions 321, 322. Thus, the sourceside channel contact region 321 and the drain side channel contactregion 322 are formed with a biaxial strain. Hence, there issubstantially no relaxation of the biaxial strain in the channel region323 and, consequently, a reduction of the charge carrier mobility in thechannel region 323 can be substantially avoided.

The present invention may be applied in order to form field effecttransistors having a channel length (indicated as “1” in FIGS. 3 d and 2c) of about 50 nm or less. The present invention, however, is notrestricted to such embodiments. In other embodiments of the presentinvention, the channel length “1” may be more than about 50 nm.

As detailed above, the manufacturing method described above withreference to FIGS. 3 a-3 d may be used to form a field effect transistorhaving a strained channel region. In other embodiments of the presentinvention, however, the layer 305 of semiconductor material need not bebiaxially strained.

The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as theinvention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalentmanners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of theteachings herein. For example, the process steps set forth above may beperformed in a different order. Furthermore, no limitations are intendedto the details of construction or design herein shown, other than asdescribed in the claims below. It is therefore evident that theparticular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified andall such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of theinvention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth inthe claims below.

1.-9. (canceled)
 10. A method of forming a field effect transistor,comprising: providing a substrate comprising a strained layer of asemiconductor material; forming a mask on said layer of semiconductormaterial, said mask having an opening; forming a recess in a portion ofsaid layer of semiconductor material exposed at a bottom of saidopening; forming a layer of an insulating material on said exposedportion of said layer of semiconductor material; filling said openingwith a gate electrode material; and selectively removing said mask,wherein said gate electrode material in said opening substantiallyremains on said substrate to form a gate electrode.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising implanting ions of a dopant material intoportions of said layer of semiconductor material located adjacent saidgate electrode.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein a penetration depthof said ions in said implantation is approximately equal to a depth ofsaid recess or smaller.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprisingperforming an annealing process adapted to induce a diffusion of saiddopant material into a source side channel contact region and a drainside channel contact region, said source side channel contact region andsaid drain side channel contact region being located adjacent a channelregion located below said gate electrode.
 14. The method of claim 10,wherein said layer of semiconductor material is biaxially strained. 15.The method of claim 14, wherein said biaxially strained layer ofsemiconductor material is provided over a layer of an insulatingmaterial.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said provision of saidsubstrate comprises: providing an auxiliary substrate; forming astrain-creating layer on said auxiliary substrate; forming said layer ofsemiconductor material on said strain-creating layer; forming said layerof insulating material on said substrate; bonding said auxiliarysubstrate to said substrate, wherein said layer of semiconductormaterial contacts said layer of insulating material; and removing saidauxiliary substrate and said strain-creating layer.
 17. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising reducing a length of said opening.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein said reduction of said length of saidopening comprises: isotropically depositing a material layer on saidsubstrate; and anisotropically etching said material layer, a portion ofsaid material layer located on a bottom of said opening beingsubstantially removed in said etching.
 19. The method of claim 18,wherein a material of said material layer is identical to a material ofsaid mask.
 20. The method of claim 10, wherein a length of said gateelectrode is less than about 50 nm.
 21. A semiconductor structure,comprising: a substrate comprising a layer of a semiconductor materialhaving a biaxial strain and being formed on a layer of an insulatingmaterial; a gate electrode formed over said layer of semiconductormaterial; and a raised source region and a raised drain region formedadjacent said gate electrode; wherein a source side channel contactregion and a drain side channel contact region located adjacent achannel region are subject to said biaxial strain, said channel regionbeing located below said gate electrode.
 22. The semiconductor structureof claim 21, wherein a length of said channel region is less than about50 nm.